Book Entry 69: 1965 Rear-ending a Horse

Larry picked me up way too early one Friday.  We were going to the movie theater but we had a couple hours before the movie started so we took a drive out in the country.  

We noticed a horse standing beside the road, on the road side of the fence.  As our car got nearer the horse began running in the same direction as our car.  When we got right up next to the horse the horse kept running forward in the direction of our car but sidestepped right out into the street and into the path of our car.  The car was going faster than the horse.  Larry stepped on the brakes but we ran into the rear end of the horse.  The horse kind of sat on the hood of our car, looked puzzled, and took off running again down the street.

We got out and looked at the car.  There was a dent on the hood, there were skid marks on the road, and there was a pile of horse “droppings” at the end of the skid marks.

Larry felt bad.  He drove up the nearest driveway to ask to use the phone and report to the police that there was a horse loose and we’d just hit it.  When the owner of the home came to the door Larry explained we’d run into a horse and would like to use his phone to report it.  The man simply replied, “It’s not my horse so you can’t use my phone.” 

By then, the horse was trotting down the road.  We continued our drive through the country until it was time for the movie.  I still think of the odd statement given by the neighbor who wouldn’t let us use his phone.